A kuti in Wat U Mong

Wat U Mong is located in a forested area about 4 km west of Chiang Mai's city moats. The origins of the temple are traced back to the 14th century but are rather obscure. The main feature of Wat U Mong is the network of tunnels and caves dug out in a hill on top of which stands a prominent, bell shaped Chedi. North of the Chedi sits a black, ascetic Buddha image. Many of the trees of the forested temple compound have Buddhist sayings attached, some in English. Wat U Mong is a practicing meditation temple and strongly influenced by the Buddhist teachings of Buddhadhasa Bhikkhu, one of Thailand's most celebrated monks of the 20th century. His statue stands on an islet in the lake to the south of the Chedi. The temple compounds house an International Buddhist Meditation Center with a Vipassana Meditation program available for both Thais and Non-Thais.